


Job Day

by BubblegumCoffee, Drakojana



Series: Sentinels and Guides [2]
Category: Video Blogging RPF, jacksepticeye
Genre: Alternate Universe - Sentinels & Guides, Backstory, Blood and Violence, Fluff and Angst, Guide!Jack, Gun Violence, M/M, Sentinel!Anti
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-21
Updated: 2018-11-21
Packaged: 2019-08-27 03:29:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16694578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BubblegumCoffee/pseuds/BubblegumCoffee, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Drakojana/pseuds/Drakojana
Summary: Beautiful, Jack huffed, thinking about how Anti would roll his eyes at the comment. But with the morning light coming through that tiny window at the far end of the room, Anti truly did look beautiful.Prequel to I don't have to live without you anymore. A read of that work is heavily recommended in order to understand this AU.





	Job Day

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AssbuttOfTheReaders](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AssbuttOfTheReaders/gifts).



> I still can't believe that after all this time, Drako and I are finally getting this world down on paper! Yet again, this series is a gift for the lovely Em, who inspired and continues to inspire this storyline we have planned. 
> 
> With all this said, prepare for pain, lovelies.

With a hiss, a couple of raw eggs hit the oil in the pan. Jack backed up a bit, wary of the hot substance catching him on the arms. It was hard to hear any of the pops though with so many other Guides and nurses bustling about.

The communal kitchens were kind of on a first-come-first-serve basis, so Jack may or may not have hoarded some ingredients, much to the chagrin of other busy workers. He usually was rather polite about sharing, but today was a pretty special day for his partner in crime. He plated his fried eggs and finished buttering some slices of toast just before someone grabbed the knife from his hand.

“You know this food is for staff only, right?” The quick appearance of the facility’s boss set some stumbling back, but Jack simply grinned at the Swedish man in front of him.

“Yeah, but it’s Anti’s birthday. Now move over, I’m leaving. You’re the one who forced him to take a job today, so you get to deal with my attitude.” Jack wasn’t even fazed by Felix’s scathing look, not caring whether his boss was speaking honestly or sarcastically. He took his small tray, stuffing packets of salt and pepper in his pockets, and started heading toward the elevator.

“You forgot the orange juice.” Jack turned around - nearly too quickly for the food to survive - to see the Swede holding up a paper cup. He thanked him quickly and left once again.

“And the food better have cooled down once you get there. You know he can’t have hot food!” Felix yelled just as the metal doors dinged closed, some staffers around him holding back snickers.

When Jack entered Anti’s room, he felt a sense of peace.

The Sentinel in question was still sequestered in his bed, arms wrapped tightly around the present Jack had given him last night - a hand-knit green plushie, which was a little inside joke between the two of them. His almost-curly green locks were all over the place. They were fading at the roots back to that oak brown he and Jack used to share, meaning a redye was surely in order. But for now, it looked beautiful.

_Beautiful_ , Jack huffed, thinking about how Anti would roll his eyes at the comment. But with the morning light coming through that tiny window at the far end of the room, Anti truly did look beautiful.

Jack quietly set down breakfast on the far counter, ripping open a packet with a plastic fork inside for the Sentinel. He looked almost mournfully at the bed, wishing for nothing more but to crawl under that comfy looking quilt and wrap his arms around his boyfriend, but he didn’t want to wake up the green-haired man too soon. He’d have at least a couple more hours to rest, Jack thought, if the Guide went ahead and organized their supplies now.

Jack was placing Anti’s afternoon meds into the pack when he heard a groan right behind his ears, tired arms wrapping around his chest. Anti’s hair was tickling Jack’s cheek.

“Mornin’.” The Sentinel grumbled in that gravelly, tired voice of his, and Jack shivered, greeting him back.

“Happy birthday,” Jack said, quickly pecking the other on the nose when they shared a glance. “Did you see your breakfast over there?”

“Mm. And I’m going to eat every last bit.” Warmth left Jack only momentarily before Anti came back and sat on the floor next to the Guide, placing his tray down and going straight for the orange juice. The two slowly continued packing up their medical bag and armors.

Anti’s armor was certainly easier to stuff in the bag; it was thin, and light for that matter, even though it was much higher grade than what the other had to work with. Jack’s looked more like what a standard grade police officer would wear, but he understood the priority. It wasn’t like his equipment was bad. His vest had certainly saved him from several bullet wounds in the last few years.

“What’s the time?” Anti finally asked, far more tensed than he was when he woke up. The reality of the task ahead seemed to be registering far more in his mind now.

“Half ten. Thirty minutes ‘till the job starts.” Jack murmured, pressing further into the Sentinel’s side but not doing much more for comfort. He’d realized it was best to let Anti just process these preemptive moments rather than ask. “Let’s get going soon. Get dressed in something comfortable, I heard it’s a long ride.”

Anti was silent for a moment, the air getting a bit stiffer. They both visibly relaxed when he finally got up and headed for the wardrobe, making some joke about how Jack was a doting parent. The Guide said nothing when he grabbed another pill for his anxiety and stuffed it in his jacket pocket.

-

Robin was waiting for Jack and Anti when they walked over to the bus, Anti still finishing off the corner of a slice of toast. The russet-haired nurse gave them both a small smile and a pat on the back before checking off their names on his clipboard and walking inside as well.

The bus was a sleek black on the outside and well-sized, probably looking more like some rockstar’s tour ride than anything else. The subtleties were where the differences grew. The glass wrapping around the midsection of the vehicle was a solid six inches thick. Basic rubber coated the outside of the tires, but any thick scratches revealed their steel wire skeleton. Some spots of the titanium shell of the car could even be seen under the plush carpeting inside. It was more than meant to last.

Jack grabbed a few snack bars from the cabinets inside before following Anti to the back of the bus. The green-haired man had already claimed the large sofa at the back and was ready to nap to some TV. The rest of their protection squadron always liked to play cards on the front seats anyway, so they didn’t mind. Anti raised his head when Jack came to sit on the rightmost cushion, ripping open his snack.

“Did you eat anything for breakfast?” The Sentinel raised an eyebrow.

“Wasn’t hungry,” Jack mumbled, though his stash clearly stated otherwise. Anti huffed to himself and looked back at the TV. He was about to open his mouth again when Robin walked through.

“ETA is an hour and a half. The squad leader’s gonna go through the plan with you guys in a second. You need anything?” Robin asked. They both shook their heads as the engine began to rev.

Anti looked Jack straight in the eyes as soon as the nurse began to move away.

“This conversation isn’t over, we’ve talked about this.” He said.

“It was one breakfast,” Jack rolled his eyes. “I didn’t have time to make my own if I wanted you to sleep in. It’s your birthday.”

“It’s always one breakfast, or hour of sleep, or _something_.” The Sentinel rebutted. “If you don’t start helping yourself I’m gonna strangle you.”

“Well, that just sounds counterproductive.” Jack giggled. The laughter turned into a yelp when Anti dove over to the other side of the couch, pinning himself over the Guide and littering his face and neck in kisses.

They were given the case file to reread shortly into the bus ride.

There had been a Sentinel wreaking havoc around this particular section of Los Angeles for quite a few weeks now, and the facility had managed to pinpoint a few key locations he was likely to show up at today. Intel from squads that had arrived earlier in the morning confirmed his appearance at a shopping center, where he was currently holed up. The job seemed simple enough, save for a few key problems, which was why Anti had been asked to come to the field.

The first problem was the nature of the Sentinel’s power. He was described to have some kind of super strength that let him do devastating damage very quickly, but of course, no one who had gotten close enough to garner a proper analysis was alive. The Sentinel had killed forty trained soldiers since last week. Causes went from drastic fall damage to being crushed by heavy objects. Clearly, another Sentinel of similar power was required to set him straight.

The second problem was possible affiliations that the Sentinel had. Two Sentinel and Guide duos had already attempted to face off against the man. Neither had returned, and no bodies had been found at the locations of their fights, but some surviving squadrons reported multiple assailants appearing at the last second.

These were all things Anti and Jack were aware of, though the latter grimaced at the final part. Anti was more mentally inclined than anything else, and the idea of facing off against someone who had already taken down two pairs of combat-enhanced Sentinels and Guides - four friends - was dispiriting. But unfortunately, Anti had definitely been in worse situations. Jack agreed with the squadron leader when he walked in and made his opening statement.

“You are an integral part of our mission Anti. If we get you in radius, you will not only be able to stop this man from hurting other people, but you might be able to get our lost comrades back, wherever they are. We could nip our enemy in the bud before they form any further.” The older man sat on an armchair just under the TV, across from the two. They quickly sat up.

The plan was simple enough.

Like most field work whenever a Sentinel was involved, the main priority was to protect Anti at all costs and to shorten risk time as much as possible. They were to make a beeline to wherever the man in question was, which thankfully seemed to be in the open parking lot as far as recent radio messages were concerned. Eight gunmen would be positioned around Anti and Jack, with Jack standing directly in front, and Anti would give word whenever he got within the radius to use his abilities. Robin, their medic, would be right behind, and any stragglers from the morning run were instructed to join their formation.

The gunmen would lay down their shields once Anti started to use his powers, and Jack would make sure he kept contact. Once the Sentinel was mentally incapacitated, they would attempt to apprehend him. If he proved to be too much trouble, however, then Felix had given them the authority to kill. That’s what their three snipers on the rooftops would be for.

“To quote Felix,” The squadron leader huffed. “‘As much as I want my Sentinels back, your lives are more important. This guy needs to quit doing what he’s doing one way or the other, and we can worry about other difficulties later.”

The backup option was clearly not viable to anyone but Felix, but Jack supposed that was why he was their leader.

The bus screeched to a halt far too soon for Anti and Jack’s liking. Jack looked over the straps on his body armor once more, making sure they were secure, before putting on his helmet. He gave Anti a once-over as well but soon was called to get out.

The bus had stopped behind some cafe, and as soon as Jack cleared the bullet-proof hull of the vehicle, he could hear the calamity. Gunfire was going off sporadically, and the sound of metal groaning and snapping hurt his ears.

“The snipers are on their way,” Someone finally called, having to scream over all the noise. “We’re going!”

Jack was rather shielded from eyesight on the ground, but he felt his heart stop where he looked up.

Someone was falling speedily, screaming, but at an unnatural angle. The sight of them colliding with the side of a building was sickening, but the sound was worse.

“I’ve got eyesight!” Someone yelled, before disappearing from Jack’s sight. The Guide watched in horror as he was thrown to the side like a doll by some invisible force, ending up contorted on the opposite side of the lot.

A woman’s face was smashed into the asphalt, skull caving in. Another was swept upwards. As more and more people broke formation or were forced to break, Jack gained an understanding of the number of dead bodies around him.

Gravity. It had to be something to do with it. They had been misinformed. Whoever this Sentinel was, they didn’t need contact to end someone, they just needed eyesight.

The Guide suddenly felt a hand close around his own, tight as iron, and he whipped his head around. Anti’s eyes bored into his, pupils small with terror. The Guide could feel him shaking even through their gloves.

Jack grounded himself. They had a job to do.

He lunged forward, grabbed a discarded shield from one of the dead gunmen before dashing for a dilapidated car. Robin was nowhere in sight, but as long as Jack kept an iron grip on Anti, the green-haired man wasn’t going anywhere. As soon as they got behind the car, they crouched down.

“Anti, are you in radius!? Can you do it?” Jack yelled. His boyfriend was owl-eyed, spacing out. They had both seen horrific things in their time in the facility, but the amount of pain and death occurring around them was on a new level. “Anti, I need you to come back to me,” Jack put both hands around the other’s helmet, leaning in. “Let’s help these people!”

“I can’t see where he is!” Anti finally gasped, and Jack nodded before crouching low and peering under the car. The gunmen still in the open were generally positioned toward the west, but Jack still couldn’t tell where their enemy was either.

The car they were shielded behind began to crumple, and both the Guide and Sentinel scrambled back on palms and knees as it was lifted into the air. It was thrown away from them at a blazing speed, crushing a soldier or two underneath. Jack staggered upward and made to grab Anti’s hand again, looking for the next best spot. When he moved, however, he almost fell to the ground. Anti hadn’t moved an inch.

That horrible groaning sound of metal was back, but Anti’s pained cries accompanied it. The Sentinel had been lifted few feet in the air, and his Guide could only try to pull him back, try to pull off his metal alloy pieces, as his armor started to crush him. His blue eyes were wild, arms grasping at his helmet especially as an inward dent formed on the side.

“Stop, _stop, stop it!”_ Jack yelled and yelled as Anti’s screaming only got louder. He looked around wildly for their pursuer, for the rogue Sentinel among them.

Jack met eyes with the man just as the loud echo of a rifle went out, clipping him on the shoulder. Blood formed on the gray hoodie the enemy was wearing, but he still lifted his injured arm and swept it to the side. Anti’s body was flung through the glass of an adjacent shop together with the movement.

The Guide didn’t spare any more time gazing at the other Sentinel and sprinted to the building where the green-haired man had landed. His boots cracked the small pieces of glass that covered the floor as he jumped through the hole in the window and knelt down next to Anti. He was still breathing, thank god.

Jack cupped his boyfriend’s head with one hand, making sure it was elevated. Anti started to yell and crawl away, simply feeling hands on him, but eventually, he felt those unique waves of calm that he knew only his own Guide could emit. Jack shakily started to unclasp the other’s deformed armor.

The helmet was the item that Jack took off the most cautiously, unhinging the visor in front first and then slowly lifting up the metal part. Blood was clotting on the side of the Anti’s head, but when the Guide lightly touched the wound, he didn’t feel any damage to his skull.

There were small cuts adorning Anti in the few bits of skin that had been exposed through his protection, and the other began to pick out pieces of glass. The way that the Sentinel was breathing, choppy and unsequenced, indicated that he had some rib trauma. The Guide felt his own heart hurt with every wheezing breath the other made.

Jack thought for a moment, just holding onto Anti. They hadn’t been investigated yet; whoever that Sentinel was seemed to be too invested in other soldiers to finish the two of them off. His gaze eventually drifted toward the building’s stairwell.

“Anti,” Jack whispered, as gentle as he could be. “Try to relax, I’m going to pick you up.” He cupped a hand further down the Sentinel’s back, the other shifting under his legs.

“...can walk,” The green-haired man eventually muttered, but his voice was slurred. That wasn’t good, fuck. The Guide listened to his words, however, and simply let Anti lean on his side as they made their way to the fire exit.

“Lean on me, Anti. It’s going to be okay. I’ll get us out of here.” Jack was struggling to stay calm, but he knew he had to or Anti certainly wouldn’t.

“Where we going?” Anti asked, sentences still slow, but he still pressed himself to his Guide’s side as they trudged up flight after flight.

“To the top,” Jack said, huffing with the effort of practically lifting two bodies up each step. “It’s dangerous, I know, but I figure he won’t look up.” The other grunted in agreement.

By the time the two reached the roof, they were more than spent. They collapsed down onto the stone, gasping for breath. Jack was the first to get up like always, and he unclipped his own helmet before unfastening other pieces of armor. Anti snarled and slapped the Guide’s hand when he tried to offer the helmet to him.

“Anti, please, just put it on. If you fall, you won’t survive otherwise.” Jack said. He sounded exasperated but firm, sweat flattening his unruly hair.

“Yeah, and you won’t fucking survive either. You’re not invincible, dipshit, how many times do I have to tell you that you matter too!” Anti’s slurring voice reached a yell by the end, the pure emotion in his face making Jack falter.

The Guide reaffirmed himself a second later. “This guy is way more likely to attack you, and you know it. One of your ribs is broken, and you’re limping. He almost _cracked your skull_. Do you want to stop him from hurting people and get this done, or do you want to keep whining!?”

They had never been this hostile toward each other, even on missions. Anti looked at Jack with lost eyes, for a second feeling the need to kiss his trembling lips, but knew this was neither the time nor the place. He blinked back saltwater and fastened Jack’s helmet on his head. They could relax in bed when they got home.

“You can do this.” The brown-haired man murmured, and the pair crouched low, slowly stepping over to the edge of the roof.  
It was nauseatingly high, squadron partners looking like ants - both those broken and still fighting - as the two peered downward. Jack pressed a hand to Anti’s arm, knowing the other didn’t like heights.

“Please tell me you’re in radius.”

“I am,” Anti sighed. “I caught the nature of his mind earlier, so I have a lock. But I can’t see him right now.”

The Guide looked behind him for a moment, but only saw the hatch they had entered from. “Let’s get this over quickly then.” Jack kept his hand on Anti the whole time, eventually slipping down to grasp the other’s palm. Aside from the occasional flinch or two, and a garbled phrase, things seemed to be going okay.

They spoke the phrase at the same time. Anti’s eyes opened wide, the iris and sclera both pitch black. **_“Oh, there you are.”_**

The Sentinel snapped his head around, terrified that his power had been overridden so quickly. Jack had little time to understand the image behind him - a disturbingly close figure - before he felt an agonizing weight all over his body, smashing him facedown into the concrete roof. He let out a cry as he felt more than heard his nose crack.

Anti’s fear was causing his thoughts to go haywire, mind not managing to break free of the other Sentinel’s calm hold as they once again spoke in unison.

**_“Who’s making the trip first? You certainly are quite an itch, Anti, but I think I would love to see if you really do care for the people around you. Or are you just as deranged as they say?”_** A lone tear rolled down his cheek as the man grinned with all of his teeth.

Jack wasn’t sure how. His muscles were screaming, but he pushed himself up enough to shout bloody murder. “Get the fuck away from him!”

An unwarranted hand grabbed the Guide’s chin, tilting his head up to finally get a look at the Sentinel above him. Most of his face was obscured by his hood, but he was an older man. He had an unexpectedly strong frame despite his gray hair and wrinkles, and an unnatural smile graced his lips. ** _“It’s been a while since I’ve seen a Guide who cares as much as you, Seàn Mcloughlin.”_**

Anti gasped and felt blood rise into his mouth as he finally freed himself from his mind. He kicked himself up and barreled straight toward the man, fists clenched.

“What a shame.” The hooded Sentinel said, and Anti didn’t know what happened next.

He collided with the man, crashing him onto the ground and bringing a fist to his face that was strong enough to rupture his knuckles on the first blow. The other man was simply looking back at him with a bloody-gummed grin as he raised his arm. One moment Jack was panting on the concrete, and the next, an invisible force was grabbing his leg. It dragged him off the edge before he could even process what was happening.

Silence.

Anti ripped away from the person under him and stumbled to the edge, shrieking in panic and disbelief.

One moment Jack was screaming, clawing for anything to hold on to, and the next he was still. Another broken ant.

Anti leaned forward, whole body shaking. He had to join him.

A hand went one of his shoulders, stopping him from going any further. It was gentle. Anti noiselessly turned around to look at the man behind him.

“Why are you crying?” He questioned, sounding genuinely confused. He lowered himself to a crouch to get on the other’s level. “Why, Anti?” When he didn’t get a response, he only leaned further in.

“You know they all abused you, even him. They all only wanted you for what you could do, not who you are. And they did anything they could to get that false trust.” A hand went to his other shoulder. “But I know who you are. You’re someone who deserves to be free.”

“Come with me. I know someone very special who can show you how to free everyone else, too.” He whispered, voice soft in Anti’s ear. The green-haired man just continued to stare at the older as his grip began to tighten.

“Anti, _move!”_

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Anti was able to register Ethan’s - one of their snipers - voice. He felt his body rip itself away from its loose hold just as a bullet went straight through the other man’s stomach.

A hand grabbed his arm, yanking him toward the stairwell hatch. Screaming. Feet pounding down the stairs, wheezing. When they were at the bottom once again, the Sentinel ripped himself away from Ethan’s grip. He vaguely heard the soldier yelling at someone else about more enemies showing up, but he didn’t process it. He took off Jack’s helmet and threw it somewhere.

Jack’s body hadn’t landed anywhere remotely soft. Not on a car, or the roof of another building. It was twisted on the asphault. One of his legs looked like they could come clean off with barely any force, and there was a ring of blood almost like a halo around his head and in his hair.

Anti was shrieking about something or other as he lifted the Guide’s torso into his lap, looking straight into shrunken pupils. Jack’s head rolled back as he was adjusted, and he didn’t make a sound when his shoulder cracked.

There was someone talking straight to him, and the Sentinel only paid attention this time because of the red cross on the left side of his chest.

“Robin,” Anti begged, choking himself on his sobs. “Help him, help him _please!”_

The russet-haired man stayed knelt there with his mouth open, unable to figure out what to say. He’d been next to Jack a while already, his hands covered in drying blood.

“We were supposed to sleep in tomorrow and...and talk Felix into getting to see that therapy dog on level twelve,” Anti shoved Robin, trying to get him to move. Jack’s head lolled to the side.

“Do something! Do something right now!” The Sentinel’s voice was growing hoarse.

“He’s dead, Anti,” Robin said.

The green-haired man squinted at the other, vision swimming momentarily. “No, no. I-I’ll fucking show you if you won’t.”

“Anti, don’t-” Robin protested weakly, but the Sentinel’s eyes were already going black as he put a palm on Jack’s slick forehead, looking for any brain activity. His heart pounded as he pressed inward, not detecting any hum of unfinished thoughts and phrases that he usually would when reading someone’s thoughts.

It was in a metaphysical corner, like a thread that had been detached from its home. Anti clung to that one strain of activity, gasping.

_I don’t want to die._

It was so weak, so inconsequential, that it shouldn’t have been one of those sentences that scarred him. But it tore his brain right open.

“-dead, Anti, he is dead. There is no pulse. I’ve done chest compressions. You’ll only get his last thought, you know this-”

_“I don’t want to die.”_ Anti was unable to stop himself from speaking in Jack’s voice, repeating the phrase nonstop, and it physically stung Robin. He shook his head, nodding at Ethan and the other soldier next to him. They began to stand up.

“We’re leaving.” Robin’s voice cracked. The soldiers wrapped their arms around Anti and began to half-drag, half-carry him as he kicked and screamed. He was having a full blown attack, the worst he’d had in a very long time, and there were no Guides around to aid him. They had to get him back to headquarters before he killed himself, but restraints would do for the ride.

Robin took off his white coat and placed it over Jack gently, obscuring his still face. “I’m so sorry.” He whispered, and covered his face with a hand as he made his way to the bus.

-

Robin sighed as he waited for the pancakes he’d made to grow cold, putting them on a small tray alongside a paper cup of fruit juice. He stacked the different ingredients he’d used in their individual cupboards, other staffers backing out of his path. Only one allowed himself to be bumped into.

“Torkar,” Felix’s voice was low. “We need to talk. Now.”

The nurse went to pick up the tray and shoved past him without sparing him a glance. The food was cold enough. Felix stood still, simply staring emotionlessly at the other as the elevator doors closed. Robin walked past all of the living spaces when he got to the correct floor, heading briskly toward the trauma center. He chose not to look at the metal plaques that had just recently been added to the hall.

Once he reached the cell he was looking for, he pushed his key into the slot. It took several moments for all the locks to open. Robin held the tray with one hand, pushing open the door with the other.

Anti didn’t respond to the tray being placed at his feet, still curled in the same spot on his bed as before the nurse had left. One of his hands was resting lightly on the fur of the facility’s therapy dog, but every other part of his body stated clearly that he did not want to be bothered.

Robin pulled his chair away from his desk and rolled it a few feet toward the bed before sitting down. He waited a long time for the Sentinel to say anything, but like always, Anti was never the one to initiate conversations anymore.

“It’s been a month. Felix is going to get you a new Guide soon.” The russet-haired man rasped. He’d tried being subtle, or kind, or even pitying, but being honest was always the safest option to prevent a blowup.

Anti’s hand slowly moved off of the dog’s flank, and it got the message, jumping off the bed with a whine. Messy, yellowish hair still hid his emotions, but a clenched fist was enough for Robin to tense. He made a mental note of where the emergency Guide call button was, not that he hadn’t used it before.

Anti shoved the tray Robin had made up for him off the bed, food and drink spilling onto the floor. The nurse closed his eyes and took a deep breath, not even surprised.

“He can send as many Guides as he fucking wants to, Robin.” The Sentinel spat. “I’ll send them all packing.”

“You need someone to help you forget-” Robin began, but the other cut him off with an angry scream. The nurse scrambled out of his chair as Anti cornered him, eyes a venomous green.

“ _I will never forget,_ and I’ll damn them all to hell if they dare try and make me!”


End file.
